L Takanashi

New York

Correspondent at Business of Fashion (BOF)

“Aesthetic Investigator” based in NYC. @bof Correspondent. All views are my own. Bylines in Complex, The Cut, Gothamist, The Fader, Highsnobiety, etc.

Articles

Ambush Founders Reacquire Brand From New Guards Group

1 week ago | businessoffashion.com | L Takanashi

Ambush has become the latest brand to leave the roster of Farfetch-owned New Guards Group. Founders Yoon Ahn and Verbal announced Friday that they had bought back full ownership of the company they founded in 2008 in Tokyo. In 2020, they sold a controlling stake to New Guards Group shortly after Farfetch took ownership of the Italian luxury streetwear incubator.
Bluestar Alliance Acquires Palm Angels

2 months ago | businessoffashion.com | L Takanashi

Bluestar Alliance has added another luxury streetwear label to its portfolio. On Tuesday, the brand-management firm announced its acquisition of Palm Angels, adding to a portfolio that includes Off-White, which it purchased from LVMH late last year. Palm Angels' founder, Francesco Ragazzi, will depart the brand he established in Milan in 2015. “As it enters a new chapter, I step away with confidence and wish them the greatest success ahead,” Ragazzi said in a statement.
Fashion’s Biggest Super Bowl Ever

2 months ago | businessoffashion.com | L Takanashi

Fashion went for it at the Super Bowl. Even before kickoff in New Orleans, Bode staged a runway show in the city on Friday in partnership with GQ for its sportswear focused Bode Rec. line, while Rhude held its own show with Verizon, previewing select looks from the brand’s Autumn/Winter 2025 collection.
Running’s big fashion opportunity

2 months ago | msn.com | L Takanashi
Running’s big fashion opportunity | CNN

2 months ago | cnn.com | L Takanashi

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by The Business of Fashion, an editorial partner of CNN Style. CNN — If you’ve recently started running, the hardest part may have been deciding what kit to buy. Options for running apparel are so plentiful that a cottage industry of online directories, Instagram mood boards and sub-Reddits have sprung up to help would-be joggers and marathoners make sense of it all.
How BAPE Kept Its Cool for Decades

2 months ago | businessoffashion.com | L Takanashi

The wrinkles on A Bathing Ape aren’t from sitting in the tub too long. At 31, the brand is an old-timer in the world of streetwear. You’d hardly know it given its momentum. Last month, the Japan-based label made its Paris Fashion Week runway debut through a collaboration with Colm Dillane’s label KidSuper. Within a matter of days, ultra-popular US influencer and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat appeared in one of its hoodies on the cover of Billboard.
Why Brands Are Making You Work Harder for Hyped Sneaker R...

2 months ago | shorturl.at | Matt Welty |Victor Deng |Brendan Dunne |L Takanashi

The hunt is often better than the kill. The journey is better than the destination. Trying to get a pair of sneakers, and jumping through hoops to obtain them, is a more satisfying feeling than owning the physical shoes—for some, at least. The world as we know it is undergoing a reset at the moment, and the sneaker world is experiencing one, too. Gone are the days of complaining that a shoe is limited. In are the days of going on a quest to get a sneaker.
Demna Named Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

2 months ago | businessoffashion.com | L Takanashi

Demna, the artistic director of Balenciaga, was awarded the recognition of Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France’s Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, on Monday. The award is given to individuals who have distinguished themselves within artistic or creative fields that have influenced both France and the world. The Georgia-born designer joined the Kering-owned label in 2015 and quickly established himself as one of fashion’s most creative forces.
Running’s Big Fashion Opportunity

Jan 22, 2025 | businessoffashion.com | L Takanashi

If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to start running, the hardest part about getting started may be deciding what to wear. Options for running apparel are so plentiful that a cottage industry of online directories, Instagram moodboards and sub-Reddits have sprung up to help would-be joggers and marathoners make sense of it all. Performance sneakers boasting carbon plates or lightweight materials now come with sneakerhead-coded collaborations and colourways that sell out online.
Can L Catterton Scale Kapital Without Sacrificing Its Soul?

Jan 8, 2025 | businessoffashion.com | L Takanashi

When news spread this weekend that the LVMH-affiliated private equity firm L Catterton had quietly taken a majority stake in Kapital, it didn’t take long for “RIP” comments to start appearing under the cult Japanese label’s latest Instagram post. The deal, which was first noticed by Reddit users and then reported by Highsnobiety, seemed tailor-made to ruffle feathers, at least with online fashion enthusiasts.